Robert Pesche, owner of Pesche's Greenhouse, Floral Shop & Gift Barn in Lake Geneva, Wisconsin.

Sue Ekblad, sales associate at The Hidden Gardens, Willowbrook.

"I would use any of the red pines or white pines for starters and then add Frasier fir tips or balsam fir tips to fill it out. I'd also use dogwood twigs, red or gold. These materials are not unusual but it's how you put them together that makes the display special."

"I would start with evergreen boughs and then add different twigs--corkscrew willow, birch, dogwood, holly (either evergreen or deciduous for the berries). I've also seen dried flowers like hydrangeas added in--with pepperberries to complement the pink of the hydrangeas."

Tim Norris, president of Spring Bluff Nursery, Sugar Grove.

Jean Bragdon, operations manager at Lurvey's Garden Center, Des Plaines.

"We sell materials we collect and dry on the property so we use lots of dried annuals like statice, salvia, celosia and perennials such as coral bells, yarrow, coneflower and German statice. The leaves of multiflora rose are good if you can get past the thorns and they last a long time. We use winterberries and dogwoods and greens as well."

"For outdoor containers, spruce tops are wonderful; they look like a little tree, hold up well under snow and don't turn yellow in a warm spell. White pine tips and balsam fir boughs are also good. Branches of dogwood, birch and corkscrew willow give height and can stay outdoors until you plant pansies. Winterberry (deciduous holly) is the showiest and works well indoors and out."